“We haven’t gotten this far just to run away with our tail between our legs.” Ailia said.
“I need to continue being my master’s favorite student at all costs. She has already killed all those who didn’t pass her exams. There’s so few of us left that she is bound to pick her heir soon, and it’s going to be me.”
She exchanged a meaningful look with her companions, they were all in the same boat.
“If we take Verhen alive, the damage will be split among five instead of seven, but a shorter life is better than no life at all. If the Wyrmling exposed us, our masters would have already called me and Pelion back. Luckily, beasts do not care for humans.
“Kieran must have angered it and Deraniel got caught in the crossfire because they were always together. I agree with Jaren, we must wrap this up quickly and get out of here before something else happens.”
Since the other three agreed, Benyo could only follow. The group decided to complete the ritual as soon as the snowstorm peaked again, forcing the human foci of the spell to remain in their place.
***
Lith spent the rest of the morning shouting orders and making preparations. He conscripted all of Zantia’s mages for his plan. Most of them were unwilling to serve under a new master, especially one who didn’t explain to them what they were about to do.
They were either city healers or noble heirs.
“I may have not studied at one of the six great academies, but I took an oath as a healer and my family has loyally served the Kingdom for generations.” The most annoying of them was Baroness Ternas, a minor healer.
“First you had the guards kidnap us from our homes and now you want to order us around as if we are slaves? There’s a reason I didn’t join the army. I demand to know why we are trapped inside the city hall and what purpose this assembly has.”
There were too many whispers and nods of approval to dismiss her request.
“Those are all excellent questions. Allow me to answer.” Lith’s eyes became two blue torches fueled by his mana as he unleashed his killing intent against the over one hundred mages in front of him.
The weakest among them almost fainted. They fell onto the ground, gasping for air. The terror invading their bodies had almost made them forget how to breathe. The others were covered in cold sweat, unable to take their eyes off Lith, like deer in front of oncoming headlights.
He grabbed Baroness Ternas by the neck, lifting her like she was just a rag doll.
“There is a crisis at hand and I need healers.” He explained with a calm voice while a stream of lightning coursed through her body sending her into seizures.
“You are here because quantity has a quality all its own.” Lith healed her as the smell of ozone and burned flesh spread throughout the room.
“I didn’t call you here for a debate. Opinions are like assholes, everyone’s got one. You are trapped here because you are untrustworthy.” Another bolt of lightning, another seizure. Lith was careful to not let her faint nor choke her so much that she couldn’t scream.
“This assembly has a purpose you’ll be made aware of when the time comes and not a second sooner. I need your obedience, not your trust.” Lith healed her again, releasing a bit more of his killing intent and making everyone fall to their knees, incapable of even looking him in the eyes.
“You are either part of the solution or part of the problem. Those of you who agree to help me will be compensated for their service. As for the others…” More lightning bolts and screams completed the sentence for him.
“Any more questions?”
Some of them were crying, others had wet themselves due to the mental pressure Lith’s mana and hostility exuded. All of them fell in line and nodded like parrots even after Lith had left the room.
He couldn’t afford to reveal any detail of his plan without it leaking.
There was no telling who was affiliated with the church among his recruits’ families, friends, or neighbors. Friya helped Wyra, one of the few members of her guilds who she actually trusted, with her investigation of the church.
They promised the former staff of house Krame that they would be reinstated if they provided useful information.
Protector couldn’t help either Lith nor Friya, so he flew among the clouds and did all he could to mitigate the storm. He couldn’t stop such a force of nature, but he could at least delay it to buy the others the time they needed.
Thanks to Protector’s efforts, the snow had almost ceased to fall. The Church of the Six was full to the brim of loyal worshippers who were scared of the storm as much as they were of the sudden disappearance of the healers.
Lith had spread the rumor that the Griever had turned into a plague, forcing all the mages in the city to work together to contain the disease. He wanted them to be so scared that they would ignore the risk of a new snowstorm and assemble in the Church.
It was the only bait he had to lure the Awakened into the open.
“Dear brothers and sisters, I’m very happy to see so many of you despite the harsh trials this winter has put us all through.” Said the high cleric of the Church of the Six.
He was an average man, 1.67 meters (5’6″) tall with brown hair and eyes. His voice was deep and confident. With his stocky build and round nose, he wasn’t a good looking man, but his manners were calm and amiable, making people inclined to listen to his words.
He was good at manipulating the crowd. First, he would make them feel close to each other by reminding them of all the common injustices they suffered from, and then he offered them a conveniently simple scapegoat to blame and an even simpler solution.
All they had to do was to follow his words.
“I know the Griever is getting worse, but rest assured. None of it is your fault. Thanks to your sacrifice, the six Sovereigns are slowly recuperating. Giving up on magic for your daily activities makes everything harder, but it’s for the greater good.
“By not contaminating the world energy with your mana, you will allow the gods to soon return among us. I know that they are pleased with us because several of you have been finally relieved from your tribulation.”
“Glory to the Sovereigns!” The relatives of the victims of the Griever who had recently been ‘healed’ praised the high cleric’s words. They were simply people not meant to contribute at the array who had been harmed only to keep the others in line.
“It’s only due to the blind selfishness of the mages that we have to work and suffer every day! They continue to profit from their ancestors’ betrayal using powers that don’t belong to them for their own good.
“Each time they use a spell, the world energy gets depleted and our Mogar gets closer to its end!” The high cleric said. According to the church’s beliefs, there was only a finite amount of world energy.
With the Sovereigns gone, it couldn’t replenish itself. It was all bogus since energy couldn’t be created nor destroyed, it could only be transferred or changed from one form to another.
“The day of reckoning is upon them. Soon the gods will return and punish them for…”
A sphere of light the size of a chariot appeared above the main altar. Those present fell to their knees, praying with all their might, with the only exception being the clerics who stared in horror as space was torn apart by the monstrosity they believed to have summoned themselves with their ramblings.
Thanks to Giedrius, Krzysztof, and Kiyotaka for their support on my kofi.
